Tennis-racket press.



S. GULDBERGER.

TENNIS RACKET PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 8.14.1914.

Patented 1916.

WITNESSES.

A 77 RNEYO SARAH GOLDBERGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TENNIS-RACKET PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed February 14, 1914. Serial 110,818,635.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. SARAH GoLonnRonR, citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tennisdiacket Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to his rackets.

Much inconvenience has hitherto been experienced in devices of this character during the process of inserting the racket in the press. In the usual construction of press, the frames collapse one upon the other, when the press is not in use, so. when it is desired to insert the racket, it becomes necessary to laboriously pry the frames apart. In so doing. the walls of the four orifices in which the bolts are inserted usually stick to the threads on the latter. and it is only after painstaking effort that the racket is finally inserted within the press. Furthermore, due to the collapsing of the device, the thumbnuts. becoming released from frictional engagement with the frames. often work down or up the bolts, so that they are not found in the exact position they assumed when the racket was withdrawn from the press. Moreover. when the nuts are loosened preparatory to withdrawing the racket from the press. the upper frame resting upon the racket often scratches the varnish of the latter, thus marring the appearance of the racket.

The principal object of this invention is, therefore. to provide means for eliminating the disadvantages mentioned without complicating the device, and without appreciably increasing the cost thereof.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description and the features of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing illustrating several embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved tennis racket press. with a racket inserted therein, and Fig. 2 is a profile view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view illustrat ing the preferred form of spring and bolt embodied in my invention. Fig. 4 is a plan view, and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of my invention in which the frames are pressed out of sheet metal. Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of my inpresses for tenvention in which the press is designed to accommodate two rackets. Fig. 7 is a fur ther modification showing the helical springextending through an orifice in the lower frame. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate different methods of fastening frame.

Referring in detail to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, my improved press comprises two frames 1 and 2 superimposed one upon the other. At each corner of the frames is an orifice 3, and bolts 4, having heads 5 are inserted within the corresponding orifices of the upper and lower frames, bringing the latter in exact alinement one over the other. thumbnut 6 is mounted on the threaded portion of each bolt. Thus, a racket may be inserted between the frames 1 and 2 and clamped therebetvveen by tightening the thumbnuts (i. I prefer to place a. washer 8 between the thumbnuts and frame 1, so that the latter may not be marred by the turning of the. former. To prevent the bolts from turning and to obviate any possibility of their becoming lost. the heads of the bolts are fastened to the frame 2 by screws 9.

In the construction described up to this point, however, when the racket is not held in the press. the latter is collapsed, that is. one frame lies flat upon the other; and if it were desired to insert the racket in the press it would be necessary to pry the two frames apart. In so doing, it is readily apparent that the walls of one or more of the orifices would engage the bolts ,and stick thereto, so that it would only be after some difficulty that the racket could finally be inserted. Moreover, the nuts being without frictional engagement when the upper frame is resting upon the lower frame, the same would work either down or up the bolts at the slightest touch inadvertently applied thereto, and thus a complete readjustment of the press would be necessary each time the racket is replaced therein. Furthermore, even when the thumbnuts are unscrewed. the frames would still contact the racket and would thus scratch the varnish and mar the appearance of the racket. To overcome these various disadvantages, I provide means whereby the frames are always yieldingly held away from each other. so that as soon as the bolts are released, the. frames are automatically sprung apart. This is accomplished by an expansion spring 10 located between the frames,

the spring to the preferably disposed about the bolts 4. I prefer to fasten the springs to one of the frames, and accordingly I conduct a portion 11 at the end of the spring through an orifice in the frame 2; thence through a perforation in the head 5 of the bolt. The end of the portion 11 is united over the head, so that both the springs and bolts are insured against being lost or misplaced, and are never removed from the press. It will thus be seen that, due to the springs, the frames are at all times spaced from each other and the press is always maintained open ready for the insertion of the racket without requiring prying apart or other manipulation of the frames.

Owing to the pressure of the adjacent frame against the nuts, the latter are always frictionally held in position they were left when the racket was withdrawn, so that when the racket is again inserted it is merely necessary to give the nuts a turn or two to securely clamp the parts of the press against the racket. Also, when a racket is to be withdrawn, the nuts are turned to an equally slight degree, and the upper frame, due to the expansion springs, rises out of contact with the racket, and the latter may then be withdrawn with the possibility of being scratched by the frames reduced to a minimum. To enhance the appearance of the device, I may conceal the springs 10 by a cover 12 of flexible material.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated in enlarged detail the spring having the outer coil bent into segmental portions 20, the junctions of the adjacent segments being bent inwardly to form guide members 21 which are inserted in longitudinal grooves 22 formed in the bolt 23. The outer coil thus serves as a guide for the spring to maintain the same clear of the threads on the bolt to avoid the possibility of the springs catching and sticking within the threads.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown an embodiment of my invention in which the frames 30, 31, are pressed out of sheet metal, the edges thereof being overturned to form reinforcing ribs 32, and the center portions 33, 34, being slightly raised to further stiffen the frame. Bolts 35, nuts 36, and springs 37 are used in the same manner as above described.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention in which the press is designed to accommodate two rackets, three frames 50, 51 and 52 being used and rackets 53 and 54 being placed therebetween in the same manner as above described.

In Fig. 7, I have shown the helical spring 80 extending through an enlarged orifice 81 in the lower frame 82 and resting upon the inner side of the head 83 of the bolt 84 which is screwed to the frame.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further modification in which washers 90 and 91 are placed above and below the springs 92. A pin 93 extends through an eye 94 in the head 95 of the bolt 96, thence through the frame 97 and washer 91. The end of the spring is then riveted to the washer by turning the end 98 of the pin thereover.

Fig. 9 shows a still further modification in which the end of the spring 100 extends through the washer 101 into a groove in the frame 102 and secured therein by a staple 103.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a tennis racket press which is always in condition to receive a racket, the frames of the device bein at all times maintained in spaced relation with respect to each other. The amount of manipulation required is reduced to a minimum while the cost of the device is not increased to any material degree.

Any suitable material may be used for the various parts of the device providing such material is suitable for obtaining the functioning hereinbefore explained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A press for tennis rackets comprising a pair of frames, bolts passing through the frames, thumbnuts on the bolts for engaging the adjacent frame to clamp the racket in the press, springs surrounding the bolts to hold the frames yieldingly away from each other, and guideways in the bolts and springs shaped to co-act with said guideways whereby said springs are guided and maintained free from the threads of the bolts.

Signed at New York in the county of Bronx and State of New York this 13th day of February, A. D. 1914.

SARAH GOLDBERGER. Witnesses:

ANNIE GOLDBERGER, HENRY GOLDBERGER. 

